I don’t know about you, but I know sometimes I really struggle with discontentment. Most times it lingers in the background and thankfulness is stronger. And then there are those days that I feel more like a green envy monster that wants everything I don’t have. Like my neighbor’s car, my friend’s house, the bigger blogger’s earnings, the hair of the lady in front of me and for goodness sake, why can’t I have the body I had at 20 again–this time I would appreciate it more!
On those raging with discontentment days, it is often something I read that will help me calm down and realize I have enough already. Sometimes it isn’t even a book I read that day, but one I read years ago that planted a seed of contentment and gratitude in my heart.
15 Books That Will Plant Seeds Of Contentment And Gratitude Within Your Heart
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Financial & Consumer Contentment
1. More or Less: Choosing a Lifestyle of Excessive Generosity
Do you really need more? Or could you get by with less? Could you share what you have already and still have enough? The book More or Less will challenge you to think through all these questions and more. Most of us all have some type of excess in our lives and we can help change the world by sharing it.
2. Enough: Finding More by Living with Less
When is enough, enough? What is your financial enough? Are you striving for the right financial things? If you lived on less could you do more? These are the questions Enough: Finding More by Living with Less will help you work through.
3. Enough, Revised and Updated: Discovering Joy through Simplicity and Generosity
Enough is a tiny book, but its pages are packed with wisdom that will help you become more financially content, overcome financial fears and discover joy through simplicity and generosity.
4. Satisfied: Discovering Contentment in a World of Consumption
Seeking a happy, contented life means swimming against the current of our consumerism society. Satisfied will help open your eyes to which way you have been floating in the consumerism pond and how to start paddling towards the shore of a contented, satisfied life.
Self Contentment
5. Why Your Weirdness Is Wonderful: Embrace Your Quirks and Live Your Strengths
I LOVED this book! If you have a quirky personality like me, chances are you need the message of Why Your Weirdness is Wonderful. Guess what? Your unique personality is exactly what this world needs.
6. Free to Be Me: Becoming the Young Woman God Created You to Be
So this book was written for young adults, but even though I am above 40 years old now I got a self-contentment boost when I read Free to Be Me.
7. Wild and Free: A Hope-Filled Anthem for the Woman Who Feels She is Both Too Much and Never Enough
If you have ever been told that you need to turn your personality down a little or that you need to be more, then Wild and Free might be just the book you need to be content in all you are.
8. A Million Little Ways: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live
You are an artist–yes, you. Stop listening to your inner critic that says you are not an artist just because you can’t draw, sing, or write and start seeing the art you create in your everyday life. That is what you will find when you read A Million Little Ways.
Mom Life Contentment
9. Longing for Paris: One Woman’s Search for Joy, Beauty, and Adventure—Right Where She Is
If in the middle of sweeping up Cheerios for the millionth time this week you have found yourself thinking, “Is this really all there is to my life?” Then Longing for Paris is the book for you. Learn how to find beauty and adventure in the often mundane mom life.
Home Sweet Home Contentment
10. The Nesting Place: It Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Beautiful
Learn how to let your personality shine in your home so that you love every inch of it, imperfections and all. That is what The Nesting Place will help you do–and in a way that doesn’t cost you money you don’t have.
11. The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own
Is all that stuff making you happy or is it making you more discontent? Within the pages of The More of Less, learn how to say no to more stuff so you can say yes to more life.
Life Stories That Will Inspire You To Grow In Contentment And Generosity
12. Rhinestone Jesus: Saying Yes to God When Sparkly, Safe Faith Is No Longer Enough
Is the pursuit of a safe life keeping you from living a contented life? The author of Rhinestone Jesus admits it was for her and when she pushed it aside to follow a crazy plan God placed in her heart, the results were simply amazing. Many lives have been dramatically changed for the better because of the work Kristen Welch said yes to.
13. Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption
The heart of the author of Kisses from Katie is WOW! I can’t think of a better word to describe Katie–a teenager whose heart for orphans is so HUGE! (well, she isn’t a teenager now, but she was when she started her work).
Growing A Heart Of Gratitude
14. One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are
Learn how to see the gifts in even the littlest of things around you is key if you want to live a contented life. One Thousand Gifts will help you do just that.
15. Purchase And Use A Gratitude Journal
The daily practice of writing down a few things I am thankful for each day before I go to bed has dramatically affected my contentment and gratitude. I started with a simple dollar store, week-at-a-glance calendar that I created a cute cover for. But a few years back I received a five years at a glance journal and have been using it instead–(it is similar to this five year one). I enjoy being able to see what I was thankful for a year ago and the year before that.
There are, of course, journals made specifically for gratitude entries. Pick what suits your pocketbook and personality best.
More posts for bookworms:
- How To Read More Than A Book A Week Despite Being Crazy Busy
- 17 Ways Thrifty Bookworms Save Money On Books
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Victoria, did you know Katie Davis Majors’ new book, Daring to Hope, is being released next week? It looks like it’s going to be good!
No, I did not. So when I read your comment I hopped over to Amazon, looked it up and read the book description. It sounds like it is going to be just as good as her first book. Can’t wait to read it.